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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: game · ruler · pit · bulb · hand · pound

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pit — in a race
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. hand — help
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. game — a match
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bulb — for light
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. pit — a hole
  14. game — wild animals
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pound — a weight
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. hand — in cards

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com